AUGUSTA, Ga. >> Tiger Woods has a habit of saying he’s close to something whether he is or not. There was no reason to disbelieve him Saturday.

The precision returned to his game during a four-under-par 68 that left him tied for fifth place, although 10 shots behind Jordan Spieth.

“It should have been two shots better,” Woods said. “It could have been something seriously low. I was trying to get to 10 under, or as close as I could. I’m going to have to put together a really special round tomorrow but you never really know. But I certainly have gotten better each day.”

Woods is paired with Rory McIlroy today.

Woods missed birdie putts of four, 10 and 10 feet in the first nine holes and still shot four-under. He also birdied all four par-5s, which was routine for him in his prime. A bogey out of a bunker at 18 blunted his day a bit.

History repeats

When Jordan Spieth double-bogeyed the 17th hole to finish with a 70, it continued one of the most improbable traditions of the Masters.

No player has ever put together four rounds in the 60s at the Masters. Charley Hoffman had a chance, but hit his second shot into the water on 15 and bogeyed 17 to finish with 71.

Lefty looms

Three-time Masters champ Phil Mickelson rolled in a 41-footer for birdie at 16, and the crowd deafened the premises. It put Mickelson at 12-under-par for the tournament.

Then he drove errantly on the 17th and bogeyed, and stands five behind Spieth in third place. A birdie on 18 by Justin Rose meant that he, not Mickelson, will play alongside Spieth today.

“That’s such a crazy putt to make,” Mickelson said. “I was just trying to 2-putt it. It’s slow up to the hole and fast past the hole, and it sneaked in the side door. I remember Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson both made one like that in 1991 and the ground shook.”

Block that kick

Mickelson wore a pink shirt because that’s what Arnold Palmer often wore, late in Masters. He plans to wear black today.

Since it wouldn’t be Mickelson if there wasn’t a theory involved, here it is: “Studies have shown that NFL teams commit more penalties when they wear dark colors, so I want to be in an aggressive frame of mind tomorrow.”

Numbers game

Ian Poulter leads the field in greens in regulation with 44. He had 17 on Saturday. … Mark O’Meara shot 77 and is at 2-over for the tournament. … Rickie Fowler was five-under for the day after 11 holes but double-bogeyed 18 and shot 76. … Rory McIlroy shot 31 on the back nine Friday, 32 on the front nine Saturday. … Hoffman, Henrik Stenson, Sang-moon Bae and Steve Stricker are the only players without a 3-putt green.